Early Life
Born in New York City on July 4, 1953, Shaw moved to Los Angeles, CA with his mother Doris Dowling at an early age. During this time Shaw was estranged from his biological father, the jazz musician Artie Shaw. In his early teen years, Shaw began to abuse drugs and alcohol. His mother Doris became remarried to Shaw's stepfather, producer Leonard B. Kaufman. In his late teen years, Shaw began writing for the Los Angeles Free Press. There he met Charles Bukowski, who became an influence on his writing. At the age of 21, Shaw left Los Angeles for Mexico. After traveling through port towns as a merchant seaman, Shaw eventually settled in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil where he began tattooing and lived until returning to Los Angeles in the mid-1970s.
After returning to Los Angeles, Shaw began tattooing on the Long Beach Pike (aka "The Pike"), apprenticing under American tattooist Bob Shaw.
Read more about this topic: Jonathan Shaw (tattooist)
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